H-1B visa approvals should be for six years, suggests CATO Institute’s David Bier

Indians, especially those from the technology sector, who are the major beneficiaries of the H-1B non-immigrant visa program, are well aware of the challenges associated with seeking a visa extension. It means an additional cost for the sponsoring employer and anxiety for the visa holder.

Recently under the Biden administration, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has instructed its officers to defer to previous approvals when extending visas, such as the H-1B work visa.

In short, USCIS is reverting to its earlier long-standing guidance issued in 2004. The Trump administration had revoked this guidance and required that each visa extension be treated as a new application.